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Game Day Essentials: Game #3 vs Creighton


hhcmatt

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Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-1) vs Creighton Blue Jays (2-0)

 

Date: Tuesday Nov 16,  2021
Time: 6:00 pm
Arena: PBA

Broadcast:  FS1

Creighton Info

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Head Coach: Greg McDermott 
Location: Omaha, NE
Conference: Big East
Nickname: Bluejays
Mascot: Billy Bluejay
Typical Rotation Depth: 8-9
Line: Nebraska by 3

Shirt to wear: only red

Other:  

  • Creighton hosted this game two years in a row as Nebraska elected to give up their home rights last season due to fans not being allowed.
  • Keyshawn Feazell is a familiar face as Nebraska saw him last year with McNeese St and was on the 2018 Miss St team the Huskers faced in the NIT.
  • Jays PG Shereef Mitchell is likely out with a foot injury
  • Freshman Mason Miller is redshirting this year. He's the sone of former NBA player Mike Miller's and the nephew of Creighton assistant Ryan Miller.

 

Player to watch: Ryan Nembhard

Creighton has their PG of the future in Canadian freshman Nembhard who has led the team in minutes with Mitchell on the shelf. Leads the team in assists, second on the team in scoring. Nembhard was just named the Big East freshman of the week.

 

Player to watch: Ryan Hawkins

Hawkins is a transfer from D-II powerhouse NW Missouri St where he shot 46% last year from 3 and slots in as a Jay stretch 4.  He hasn't really hit in his first two games but has been displaying his nose for the ball, pulling in 10.5 rebounds per game to lead the team. Seems likely that Hawkins will be the one primarily charged with slowing down Bryce McGowens.

 

Probable Creighton Starters

2 Ryan Nembhard Fr. G 6-0 167 Aurora, Ontario, Canada (Montverde Academy [Fla.])

5 Alex O’Connell Sr. G 6-6 185 Roswell, Ga. (Milton HS / Duke)
24 Arthur Kaluma Fr. F 6-7 220 Glendale, Ariz. (Dream City Christian HS)
44 Ryan Hawkins Sr. F 6-7 222 Atlantic, Iowa (Atlantic HS / Northwest Missouri State)
11 Ryan Kalkbrenner So. C 7-1 256 St. Louis, Mo. (Trinity Catholic HS)
 

Probable Rotation

1 KeyShawn Feazell Sr. F 6-9 230 New Hebron, Miss. (Lawrence County HS / McNeese State)

23 Trey Alexander Fr. G 6-4 185 Oklahoma City, Okla. (Heritage Hall HS)

15 John Christofilis Fr. G 6-3 196 Seattle, Wash. (O’Dea HS)
21 Rati Andronikashvili Fr. G 6-4 186 Tbilisi, Georgia (35 Sajaro Skoka)

 

Bench

4 Shereef Mitchell Jr. G 6-0 174 Omaha, Neb. (Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.])
55 Modestas Kancleris Fr. F 6-9 208 Kaunas, Lithuania (Varpas Gimnazija)

10 Zander Yates Fr. F 6-7 206 Germantown, Tenn. (Houston HS)

13 Mason Miller Fr. F 6-8 187 Germantown, Tenn. (Houston HS)

14 Sami Osmani So. G 6-4 196 Oak Lawn, Ill. (Oak Lawn Community HS)
22 Devin Davis So. G 6-0 180 Chicago, Ill. (Westinghouse College Prep)

 

 

The Rest of the Roster

Arthur Kaluma will be a problem on the boards as he is a higher upside Christian Bishop. He's a bit raw offensively though and can be foul prone. Former Duke transfer Alex O'Connell is currently the leading scorer and one of the few experienced returners. Kalkbrenner and Feazell form a platoon at the 5 where they both rebound and finish well. True Freshman Trey Alexander has impressed with his play as guard depth. Playmaker Rati Andronikashvili and shooter John Christofilis have played just spot minutes.

 

UNL Game Notes

 

 

Probable starters for Nebraska
1  Alonzo Verge    G    6-3
2  Trey McGowens    G    6-4

5  Bryce McGowens    G    6-7

11  Lat Mayen    F    6-9

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

 

Bench

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

23   Keon Edwards    G    6-7

0   C.J.  Wilcher    G    6-5

35  Eduardo Andre    F    6-11

10  Kobe Webster    G    6-0

14  Trevor Lakes    F    6-8
3   Quaran McPherson    G    6-3

33   Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
4    Jackson Cronin    G    6-1

12    Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0
15    Chris McGraw    G    6-0
21    Jace Piatkowski    G    6-3
 

 

The Skinny: 

A slight change in the state rivalry this year as the Nebraska - Creighton game is a part of the 'Gavitt Games' which means we're playing this one about 3 weeks earlier than normal.  Both teams roll in here with relatively new rosters and a less than stellar showing through 2 games.  Nebraska has set themselves up at home by punting away last year's game which Creighton ran away with  in the 2nd half. Both teams have looked good in spots with the Jays rolling Arkansas Pine Bluff in the 2nd half and Nebraska rolling Colorado in a game that didn't count.  This is far from impressive.

 

Seems like this could be a defensive battle of sorts as both teams will likely run their default schemes.  Nebraska likes to pack the paint and that is where Creighton has been making their hay this season as this looks to be a pedestrian outside shooting team. Actually, you might see the Jays pop more 3s as 2nd chance points can be had against Nebraska. Defensively, Creighton likes to run man to man and it seems pretty obvious their game plan will be to encourage Alonzo Verge to beat them by himself. Can Verge get his teammates involved and engaged this game? A silver lining if Verge continues to hero ball is the possibility of the Jays getting in foul trouble; the depth on the bench at guard is suspect.  Who is going to guard Bryce McGowens?  This is a question that most every team that plays Nebraska will have to ask going forward.

 

How much will Creighton try to hit the offensive glass and what will be the response from Nebraska?  Do they completely forgo transition points to crash the defensive glass?  Can they make Creighton pay in transition?  It doesn't seem like they've captured the magic that was Cam Mack to Haanif Cheatham yet. How many times will Nebraska turn Creighton over?  This young Jays team has been awfully sloppy with the ball and this opportunistic Nebraska team is looking to generate some easy baskets and fuel this Nebraska crowd.  Who on the benches for either team is going to come in an impact this game?

 

Expect this Nebraska team to top Creighton at home and really just be appreciative that we're able to do this once again in front of a capacity crowd.

 

Prediction: Nebraska 80 - Creighton 74


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